A peace campaigner has marked the fourth anniversary of his round-the-clock protest outside Parliament with a vow to "stay as long as it takes".

Sitting among his banners, flags and placards, Brian Haw, aged 56, said: "I'm either a hero, a villain or a silly old fool sitting on the pavement.

"Either I'm a lunatic or I have something very serious to say but whatever you think people need to make their minds up about what we are doing in the world and whether or not it is right."

The former carpenter from Redditch, Worcestershire, left his wife and seven children to set up camp in Parliament Square at Westminster to demonstrate against the sanctions on Iraq and war in that country. His protest has since grown to condemn genocide and the war on terror.

He said: "I'm unemployable now. I have lost my wife, children and everything I had in the world because I believe that my neighbours' kids are just as important as mine. I think that is humanity, sanity and the path to peace."

Reaction from passers-by ranged from abuse and yells that he should get a job and a wash to warm handshakes and open support.

In December Mr Haw was even nominated to become a "Listeners' Lord" on Radio 4's Today programme as a reward for his peace campaign and actions to exercise his freedom of speech.

He hopes Tony Blair and other politicians will make the short trip across the road to talk.

"If they came across to talk to me, I would speak to Tony Blair about his children and talk to all of them about my children but also about all the children of the world. We are all people but when are we going to reach the point when we are going to be humane beings?"

The Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill includes clauses that could eventually see Mr Haw removed.

It is now an offence for someone to spoil the "visual aspect" or "any part of the designated area of Parliament Square".

Mr Haw believes he is on borrowed time but added: "They want me gone but has it occurred to them that I do not really want to be here?

"I sit here in the wind and rain and listen to the abuse from people but there is also a lot of love and somehow that is also really hard to take.

"I guess I'm a tortured soul." He has survived an eviction attempt in October 2002 when a High Court Judge refused to grant Westminster Council an injunction to remove him.

Two Buddhist monks held a vigil outside the High Court while his case was being heard.

His supporters include veteran campaigners such as former Labour MP Tony Benn and Bruce Kent, former leader of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

Mr Haw polled 2,980 votes when he stood as an Independent in the Cities of London and Westminster seat at the General Election, where he lost to Tory Mark Field.